Mechanical flashlight



Jan. 15, 1946. H.'wE1L 2,393,209

MECHANICAL FLASHLIGHT Filed May 3, 1944 witness e5 Patented Jan. 15, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MECHANICAL FLASHLIGHT Henry Wei], Goldsboro, N. C. Application May3, 1944, Serial No. 533,849

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to self-generating flashlights.

The principal object of the invention is to provide aself-generating flashlight having the means to produce either a relatively weak current of electricity for a relatively long period of time or a relatively strong current for a relatively short period of time.

Another object is to provide a self-generating flashlight having the capacity and means to produce a relatively strong beam of light aswell as a relatively weak beam of light.

The advantages of such self-generating flashlight are clear. There are times when it is de sirable to have a long continuing supply of light irrespective of its intensity, At other times a beam of light of relatively high intensity is needed, without particular regard to the length of time such beam of light would be available.

These and other objects are attained by mech. anism illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which 9 Figure 1 is a vertical section on the line |--l of Fig. 2 of the entire mechanism said section being on a plane parallel with the plane of its wide sides;

Figure 2 is a vertical section of the entire mechanism on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, said view being on a plane parallel with the plane of its narrow sides;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section of the entire mechanism on a plane parallel with the plane of its top and bottom ends;

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the combination gear speed changer and electric switch; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view, on a plane perpendicular to the plane of the view in Figure 4, of the same device there shown, showing, diagrammatically, the place of said device in the electric circuit of the entire mechanism.

The self-generating flashlight herein disclosed consists, essentially, of a casing l 0, a spring motor II, a dynamo l2, a gear train 13 connecting said motor with said dynamo and providing for a high speed differential between said motor and said dynamo in favor of the dynamo, a pair of flashlight bulbs 01 different voltage, thesmaller bulb being designated l4 and the larger I 5, a combination gear speed changer, and electric switch I6 and electric wiring I I interconnecting said dynamo, bulbs and switching device. The casing in houses all of the other parts of the flashlight hereinabove listed,

The spring motor II is aflixed to the casing in in the usual manner. Key l8, when turned in clockwise direction, winds the motor. Counterclockwise movement is prevented by means of ratchet stop IS. The key handle 20 is pivoted to permit of its being turned flat against casing ill in the recess 2| therein provided.

The gear train I3 is also afiixed to the casin in the usual manner. It consists of the usual series of gear wheels 22 and pinions 23 mounted on shafts 24. The first of its pinions 23a meshes with large gear wheel 25 of spring motor H. The last of its gear wheels 22a meshes with pinion 26 aflixed to the shaft 21 of dynamo l2. Gear wheel 22a has outer gear teeth 28, side or beveled gear teeth 29 and internal gear teeth 30.

The combination gear speed changer and electric switch l6 comprises a notched shaft 3| to which is afiixed a fork 32. A block 33 aifixedto the casing and having two borings 34 formed therein, receives the fork 32. A cylindrically shaped member 35 integral with or aflixed to said casing opposite said block 33 receives the shaft 3|, said shaft projecting outwardly from'said casing through aperture 36 registering with member 35. Longitudinal movement of said changer and switch I6 along its own axis is thereby permitted. Afiixed to the projecting end of shaft 3| is a knob or button 31. Formed in said shaft between said casing andsaid button are three notches 38. Slidably ailixed to the outer casing walladjacent said notches is a tongue 39 which,

when moved toward said shaft 3| engages said notches 38. Movement in the direction away from said shaft 3| disengages said tongue from said notches.

Aiiixed to said shaft adjacent said eylindrically shaped member 35 is a governor v4i) having beveled gear teeth 4|. Aflixed to said shaft at the point where shaft and fork meet is a finger 42 whose function will shortly be described, Afiixed to the upper prong of fork 32 is a block 43 made of material that does not conduct electricity. Anixed to block 43 by means of screw 44. is resilient contact member 45. A plate 46 made of similar material and carrying terminals 41 and 48 is afiixed to block 33.

Small flashlight bulb I4 is screwed into socket 49 in casing Ill and large flashlight bulb I5 is screwed into socket 50in said casing.

Lenses 5| and 52 closesaid sockets and expose said bulbs in the usual way,

As shown in Figure 5 a wire conductor 53 connects bulb l4 with bulb l5. Another wire conductor 54 connects bulb M with terminal 41 and still another wire conductor 55 connects bulb 15 with terminal 48. The dynamo I2 is connected by means of wire conductor 56 to wire conductor 53.and by means of wire conductor 51 to contact member 45.

The device hereinabove described operates as follows: key I8 is turned in a clockwise direction thus winding the spring motor II. The motor causes large gear wheel 25 to rotate and said wheel, being in mesh with pinion 23a of gear train l3, causes rotation of each and all of the gear wheels 22 and-pinions 23 c t-said gear train. Gear wheeljza oi said gear train; being in mesh with pinion 26 afiixed to the shaft 21 of dynamo l2, causes the dynamo to rotate. Since the gear train, as can be seen in Figure 1 is a step-up gear trainspeed increasing gearingas distinrotation of the dynamo will be greater than'the speed of rotation of large gear wheel 25 oi spring motor II. The speed of rotation of dynamo l2 may be controlled in the following way: The dynamo may be allowed to run freely. Its speed of rotation would thereby be the highest the spring motor is capable of inducing. This of course would enable the dynamo to generate the maximum amount 'of electrical current per unit of time. To provide-for free running of the dynamo,-gearspeed changer and electric switch l6 is moved inwardly from its-position in Figure 5 to the first dotted position 60. To hold it in that position tongue 39 is caused to engage the middle notch of notches 38. When gear speed changer and electric switch I6 is held in this neutral position, neither its finger 42 nor its governor 40 is in contact with any other part of the mechanism. Contact member 45, however, is brought into contact with terminal 48 thus closing the circuit between said dynamo and large bulb l5.

s The dynamo may be held to a reduced speed of rotation to produce a reduced amount of electrical current per unit of time. The total amount of current would substantially approximate the total currentproduced when the dynamo is allowed to run freely, but it would be doled'out over a longer-period of time. The wa yto reduce the speed of the dynamo is to cause governor 43 to engage gear wheel 22a of gear train 13. Tonguetil is caused todisengage notched shaft 3l.- The shaft is moved inwardly to dotted position Bl shown in Figure 5 and tongue 39 is caused to engage the last notch,;to wit, the notch nearest knob or button 31. The assumption of position internal gear teeth 30 of gear wheel 22a.

El by shaft 3i causes beveled gear teeth 4| of governor 40 to engage beveled gear teeth 29 of gear wheel 22a. In addition contact member is made to engage terminal 41 thus breaking the circuit between the dyanmo and large bulb l5 and making the circuit between the dynamo and small bulb I l.

The dynamo may be brought to a stop by the simple device of disengaging tongue 39'and pullinggearspeed changer and-electric switch It out until finger}? is brought into engagement with To maintain gear speed changer and electric switch It in this position, position 62 as shown in Figure 5, tongue 39 is made to engage the first of notches 38, to wit, the notch nearest casing Ill.

' 'The mechanism herein disclosed is only an em- .bodiment'of the invention. Modifications, additions and subtractions are herein contemplated although they are not specifically shown. For example the com ination gear peed chan er and electric switch might be modified to provide in free running speed or dynamo 2 when in po ition .62 and, for a completestonpase f rotation of said dynamo-When. in position 6|. This may be accomplished by changing the positions oi finger- 42 and terminals c1. and 8. Another change might consist in eliminating one of the two bulbs and providing for useby the remaining bulb of either the-weaker. or the stronger current generated by the dynamo. I

I claim: I

A elf-generating flashlight comprising a current generating mechanismwhichseleotivelygenerates currents of different strength, a plurality of light bulbs of difierent voltage each being in a difierent circuit, and selective means to direct the different currents into the dif erent ircuits, said generating mechanism consistingoi a spring m er, a dynamo, a tra n o spe d increas n gears connecting said motor with said dynamo. and a combination gear speed changer and'elec trio. switch; comprising a governor adapted to encase said gear train, means for selectively mat in -andbreaking'the circuits of the difierent bulbs and means carrying said governorand-selective making-and breaking means adapted to coordinate the engaging and disengaging of said governor with the selective making and breaking of said circuits. HENRY WEIL, 

